Opposition Parties Demand Halt to Military Intelligence Deal with Japan

South Korea's three leading opposition parties have issued a resolution demanding the government halt efforts to conclude a military intelligence sharing deal with Japan.

The parties on Wednesday stated in the resolution that the deal will allow Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense on the Korean Peninsula without restriction and also strengthen the U.S.-led missile defense cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

They claimed that it will increase uncertainties in the region and escalate security risks on the Korean Peninsula.

The opposition argued that the government is seeking to handle a sensitive security issue with haste, when the people have lost faith in government amid a massive scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil.

The parties will push for the passage of the resolution at the parliamentary defense committee and the plenary assembly session. The resolution was signed by 162 lawmakers from the three parties.